Some
Indian languages have evolved from the
Indo-European group of languages. This set
is known as the Indic group of languages.
The other set of languages are Dravidian and are
native to South India, though a distinct
influence of Sanskrit and Hindi is evident in
these languages. Most of the Indian
languages have their own script and are spoken
in the respective states along with English.

Hindi
is spoken as a mother tongue by about 40.22
percent of the population, mainly in the area
known as the Hindi belt comprising Bihar, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It
is the official language of the Indian Union, of
the four states mentioned above, and of two
other states namely, Haryana and Himachal
Pradesh.

Assamese
is the state language of Assam and is spken by
nearly 60 percent of the State's population.
The origin of this language dates back to the
13th century.

Bengali
is spoken by nearly 200 million people in the
world - in West Bengal and in Bangladesh. It
developed as a language in the 13th century and
is the official state language of the eastern
state of West Bengal.

Gujarati
is the state language of Gujarat and is spoken
by 70 percent of the State's population.
It is Indic in origin and branched out from the
Indo-European group of languages.

Kannada
is the State language of Karnataka and is spoken
by 65 percent of the State's population.

Kashmiri
is a language written in both Persio-Arabic and
Devnagri scrip and is spoken by 55 percent of
the population of Jammu and Kashmir.

Konkani,
principally based on classical Sanskrit, belongs
to the southwestern branch of Indo-Aryan
languages. It is spoken in the Konkan
region covering Goa and parts of the coastal
regions of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.

Malayalam
is a Dravidian language, spoken by the people of
Kerala. It is an ancient language and is
thousands of years old.

Marathi
is an Indic language dating back to the 13th
century. It is the official language of
the western state of Maharashtra.

Oriya,
the state language of Orissa is spoken by nearly
87 percent of its population.

Punjabi
is an Indic language and is spoken in the state
of Punjab. Although based on the Devnagri
script, it is written in a 16th century script
called Gurumukhi, created by the Sikh Guru,
Angad.

Sanskrit
is one of the oldest languages of the world and
also the language of classical India. All
the classical literature and the Indian epics
have been written in this language.

Sindhi
is spoken by a great number of people in the
North-west frontier of the Indian sub-continent
comprising parts of India and Pakistan. In
Pakistan, the language is written in the Persio-Arabic
script, while in India it uses the Devnagri
script.

Tamil,
an ancient Dravidian language is at least 2000
years old. It is the state language of
Tamil Nadu and is spoken by at least 65 million
people.

Telugu
is also a Dravidian language and is the spoken
by the people of Andhra Pradesh.

Urdu is
that state Language of Jammu and Kashmir and it
evolved with Hindi in the capital of India,
Delhi. Urdu is the language adopted by the
majority of the Muslims in India. Urdu is
written in the Persio-Arabic script and contains
many words from the Persian language.

Some
Indian languages have evolved from the
Indo-European group of languages. This set
is known as the Indic group of languages.
The other set of languages are Dravidian and are
native to South India, though a distinct
influence of Sanskrit and Hindi is evident in
these languages. Most of the Indian
languages have their own script and are spoken
in the respective states along with English.

Hindi
is spoken as a mother tongue by about 40.22
percent of the population, mainly in the area
known as the Hindi belt comprising Bihar, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It
is the official language of the Indian Union, of
the four states mentioned above, and of two
other states namely, Haryana and Himachal
Pradesh.

Assamese
is the state language of Assam and is spken by
nearly 60 percent of the State's population.
The origin of this language dates back to the
13th century.

Bengali
is spoken by nearly 200 million people in the
world - in West Bengal and in Bangladesh. It
developed as a language in the 13th century and
is the official state language of the eastern
state of West Bengal.

Gujarati
is the state language of Gujarat and is spoken
by 70 percent of the State's population.
It is Indic in origin and branched out from the
Indo-European group of languages.

Kannada
is the State language of Karnataka and is spoken
by 65 percent of the State's population.

Kashmiri
is a language written in both Persio-Arabic and
Devnagri scrip and is spoken by 55 percent of
the population of Jammu and Kashmir.

Konkani,
principally based on classical Sanskrit, belongs
to the southwestern branch of Indo-Aryan
languages. It is spoken in the Konkan
region covering Goa and parts of the coastal
regions of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.

Malayalam
is a Dravidian language, spoken by the people of
Kerala. It is an ancient language and is
thousands of years old.

Marathi
is an Indic language dating back to the 13th
century. It is the official language of
the western state of Maharashtra.

Oriya,
the state language of Orissa is spoken by nearly
87 percent of its population.

Punjabi
is an Indic language and is spoken in the state
of Punjab. Although based on the Devnagri
script, it is written in a 16th century script
called Gurumukhi, created by the Sikh Guru,
Angad.

Sanskrit
is one of the oldest languages of the world and
also the language of classical India. All
the classical literature and the Indian epics
have been written in this language.

Sindhi
is spoken by a great number of people in the
North-west frontier of the Indian sub-continent
comprising parts of India and Pakistan. In
Pakistan, the language is written in the Persio-Arabic
script, while in India it uses the Devnagri
script.

Tamil,
an ancient Dravidian language is at least 2000
years old. It is the state language of
Tamil Nadu and is spoken by at least 65 million
people.

Telugu
is also a Dravidian language and is the spoken
by the people of Andhra Pradesh.

Urdu
is that state Language of Jammu and Kashmir and
it evolved with Hindi in the capital of India,
Delhi. Urdu is the language adopted by the
majority of the Muslims in India. Urdu is
written in the Persio-Arabic script and contains
many words from the Persian language.

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